Malayala Manorama photographer's click sparks speculation about Ashok Gehlot’s case against Sachin Pilot

A photograph by Malayala Manorama photographer J Suresh has triggered speculation that Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot brought a list of “charges” against his former deputy, Sachin Pilot, to a meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi.

Gehlot was pictured arriving with a handwritten note at Gandhi’s 10 Janpath residence in Delhi on Thursday, reportedly to resolve the political crisis in the state. The crisis was triggered by the Rajasthan CM reportedly agreeing to run for the post of Congress president and his camp opposing the possible elevation of Pilot as CM.

Commentators on social media and On Manorama speculated that Gehlot meant to use the list of charges to oppose Pilot’s claim to the chief ministership. Supposedly, the note indicated that Gehlot had the support of 102 MLAs as against Pilot’s 18 and that there was a possibility of his former deputy leaving the party for greener pastures.

It was also speculated that the note alleged an attempt by Pilot to overthrow his own party’s government when he was the Congress’s state chief.

Earlier on Thursday, Pilot met Sonia Gandhi after Gehlot took “moral responsibility” for the political crisis in his state and announced that he would not contest the election to become the next Congress president. Gehlot said the decision on whether he would remain the chief minister would be taken by the party president.